Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!BRL.MIL!abc
From: abc@BRL.MIL (Brinton Cooper)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Beware
Message-ID: <8904121701.aa17869@SMOKE.BRL.MIL>
Date: 12 Apr 89 21:01:49 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 33


I don't normally continue these debates, but:

Subash Shankar writes:

>In article <8904111022.aa15059@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> abc@BRL.MIL (Brinton Cooper) writes:
>>
>> [about exorbitant Apple repair prices]
>>
>>Demand is high; supply is low.  Therefore prices are high.  You have two
>>choices:  complain or cash in!
>
>Sorry, but the real problem isn't supply-demand - it's Apple's monopoly
>status.  Every single person here could become an Apple repairer, but prices
>will remain the same, since Apple is the sole supplier for numerous
>Apple parts, and you need to be an authorized Apple dealer to do any
>repair (without voiding the warrantee, etc).

1. Check with your local economist.  I believe that "monopoly status"
means "one source of supply, therefore arbitrarily high prices."  

2. A significant number of the problems that folks reported to this list
were finally solved when those folks obtained parts for themselves from
third party suppliers (because the parts were not custom parts) and
performed installation themselves.  You can even purchase an entire
Apple IIe keyboard for about $45 from JDR or Jameco (sorry, don't recall
which).  Compare that with the price from Apple.

3. What's this about voiding the warranty?  I haven't bought a GS, but
I seem to recall that the IIe's warranty was about 90 days.  After that,
you pay.  There's no warranty to void.

_Brint